The West Coast Olefins (WCO) plant that is proposed for the Pineview area outside of Prince George was discussed in the city’s council meeting.
UNBC professors Dr Zoe Meletis and Dr Annie Booth, and retired paediatrician Dr Marie Hay gave a presentation to council that suggested the proposed natural gas liquids extraction plant would cause health problems to residents in the city, as well as environmental issues.
“Air, water and land pollution from such industries harm the health of people who live up to 35 kilometres around them. They produce chemicals that are carcinogenic, mutagenic, and cause endocrine disruption,” said Dr Hay.
Hay said that pollution from the plant would create a rise in diseases of the skin, ear, nose, throat, and lungs.
Dr Meletis said she was an administrator for Too Close 2 Home and had a change.org petition demanding an independent review on the WCO plant that had 411 people sign it.
She added that the Pineview residents petition has 1,512 against the project, and 45 for the plant.
Dr Booth suggested that the proposed plant would eventually kill UNBC, claiming that nobody will want to come to Prince George.
“It isn’t just the staff and the faculty who will choose to leave, although you will lose most of the faculty and few will choose to come to a toxic waste site. What will kill the University is the loss of students.”
Booth went a step further and said the city would likely lose healthcare workers, adding that she has done surveys that show doctors and nurses are aware of the health consequences.
Other community members have shown their opposition to the project since it was originally announced.
Councillor Cori Ramsay said that the community was really wanting more information on the project, and suggested that the City get an update on what exactly is happening, and what decisions the City can actually make on the project.
“We haven’t really received much information from WCO on the status on this project, and have really been kept in the dark, and I don’t think we’ve publicly spoken about that.”
Deanna Wasnik, the Acting Director for Planning and Development echoed these sentiments, suggesting that the City would need to come back to this topic at a later date.
“I don’t have much of an update other that the city has been part of the consultation, or notified on the consultation of this latest project with Pineview to the subject site. So it would be helpful, like you say, to just clear the air on the project proposed and what’s involved.”
Wasnik added that the project would require the approval of the Oil and Gas Commissioner and that the zoning supports the use for the project.
City staff will create a report in partnership with the Regional District of Fraser Fort George and come back at a later date.
Other topics covered in the council meeting was the harassment that healthcare workers have been dealing with recently, and the expansion of the Tidewater Midstream plant.
Something going on in the Prince George area you think people should know about?
Send us a news tip by emailing [email protected].
